While spend requirements are increasing, we’re introducing more ways to earn Premier qualifying points. The new program gives spend credit for paid upgrades, MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays, and flights ticketed and operated by our Star Alliance partners. In addition, we’ve lowered the flight requirements for Premier status from the former program’s segment requirements, and we’ve removed the distance requirement.
A member today who flies 15 segments, earns $2,700 in PQD, spends $800 on MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays, and earns 3,000 award miles by purchasing tickets on a Star partner, wouldn’t qualify for Silver status. If this member’s activity was the same in 2020, they would qualify for Silver for the 2021 program year: They’d receive the same spend credit they enjoy today on United tickets and earn additional spend credit from MileagePlus Upgrade Award co-pays. They’d also earn PQP credit for Star Alliance flights not ticketed or operated by United, equal to award miles* divided by 5 or 6.

This is weird to me. It seems like they are going for the regional business fliers, instead of the long haul people.

I won't make Silver next year because I travel internationally every other month, which is 12 segments. However, my tickets are TYPICALLY around 10K a pop so my PQD is like, 60K by the end of the year (or more). And I'm 1K.

I wouldn't qualify for silver with this because I wouldn't hit the segments. I'd have to do a status run. And if I skip one month, I'm out.

So United is telling me they would rather have 15 $400 flights (6K) then ME get silver. Which means they don't value those who are paying the most. They value those who are FLYING the most.